How to Make Winter Grilling a Success

by Ethan WoodsJanuary 06, 2016

﻿

When it’s sunny and warm outside, it’s hard to beat the experience of inviting friends and family over for a BBQ. However, enjoying delicious grilled food doesn’t have to stop just because the weather takes a turn for the worse. Even though you’ll probably be enjoying your food indoors instead of outside, it’s still possible to whip up all of your favorites on the grill throughout the winter. The key to making winter grilling a success is knowing how to deal with the elements that make this time of the year a bit more challenging for outdoor activities. So with that goal in mind, here’s how to handle four common winter grilling challenges:

The Cold

When you think of grilling during the winter, the temperature is generally the first challenge that comes to mind. The good news is it’s quite easy to address this issue. Since grills can handle cold weather just fine, all you need to do is add extra coals to a charcoal grill or give a gas grill an extra 5 minutes to reach its target temperature. As you’re cooking, stay inside and keep your grill’s lid closed as much as possible. Doing so will allow you to manage the colder outdoor temperature with ease.

Snow and Darkness

In most cases, snow isn’t something that will directly affect grilling. What snow mainly creates an issue for is getting to and from your grill. That’s why the closer you can get your grill to your house, the easier of a time you’ll have regardless of how much snow is on the ground. And since it gets darker much earlier during than the winter than it does throughout the summer, a lantern or LED headlight are the best options for illuminating your grill.

Wind

Of all the challenges associated with winter grilling, this can be the trickiest to address. If you happen to use a Big Green Egg grill, you won’t have to worry about wind negatively impacting your grill’s temperature. But if you’re using any other type of grill, your best bet is to position it in a location that blocks as much wind as possible. Just keep in mind that you never want to bring your grill into a garage or other space that’s enclosed. In general, gas grills are easier to use during windy conditions than charcoal ones.

Cleaning Up

After making it through a winter grilling session, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend more time out in the cold trying to clean up their grill. Fortunately, you can use a grill robot to automate the entire cleaning process. Learn more about why this amazing device is one of the most popular winter birthday gifts for him by visting the Grillbots.com homepage.